What to do to keep your family safe while traveling

Summer is coming, and many people are going to go on their summer vacations. That is why I believe it is a good time to talk about how to keep your family safe while on a vacation. Because no matter if you are going to Grand Marais or the Grand Caymans, parents need to plan ahead and research their trip. In my next few blogs, I will be blogging about keeping your family safe while traveling within the United States or out of the country. If you have questions about vacation spots you are traveling to please feel free to comment or send me an email at: familysecurity@securingfamilysmiles.com. 

The blog topic I want to bring up today is, “What to do to keep your family safe while traveling." With the recent killing of Osama Bin Laden, many experts are saying that we have to be on guard now for a major retaliation attack from al-Qaida. Furthermore, after examining the intelligence found at Bin Laden’s hideout, officials are saying that our passenger railway networks are the next possible terrorist targets. What does this mean for you and I as parents traveling with our kids?

It means you need to pay attention to the world around you and know how to know if something just doesn’t look right. It is a sobering fact that a terrorist does not discriminate between adults and children. Let’s look back at Christmas 2009 when a 23-year-old Nigerian terrorist concealed plastic explosives in his underwear and tried to detonate his explosives on Flight 253. The terrorist’s plan was to bring down a major airliner during the major holiday season knowing full well that Flight 253’s manifest had passengers of all ages and nationalities. Luckily a man from the Netherlands took the initiative and subdued the terrorist so he could not cause harm to the aircraft. It all began with one man being observant and noticing something around him that was out of the ordinary. His actions saved many lives that day. 

As travelers, we entrust our United States Government to provide the highest standard of security that is designed to protect us and to continue building better security technology to detect and prevent future criminal acts. Detection devices such as whole body image scans, pat downs, puffer machine (explosives trace-detection portal machine) and bomb dogs, are used by TSA officials to identify explosives and illegal weapons or contraband. Behavior detection officers are used to identify possible terrorist or criminal behaviors that may be happening in the airport, and air marshals are used on certain pre-determined flights.

Does this make the security foolproof or 100 percent secure?

No, we would be naïve and foolish to believe that it does, but it does provide a line of defense that makes terrorists have to think of more creative ways to achieve their mission. 

So again, what can we do as responsible parents to help the Government security forces and to keep our children safe while traveling? Parents should:

• be aware of their surroundings just as they do on a busy street, city park, or at a shopping mall. 
• watch their children and watch the environment around them.
• limit cellular phone and technology use to avoid being distracted. But keep cellular phone charged to report suspicious activity.
• while sitting waiting for a plane, while your children are playing with their toys or otherwise occupied, sit back and watch the people around you. Look for behaviors that make people stand out.

Specific behavior or observations to look for:

• a traveler who is traveling alone and acting nervous and fidgety and will not make eye contact with you or with others.
• a traveler taking pictures of a security checkpoint.
• an unattended bag or item, report it to security.
• you overhear a conversation where a person is talking on a cell phone or to somebody else about committing a crime or if you hear the word bomb.
• you smell an unusual odor.
• you see something that looks unusual on a person’s attire.
• if at the ticket counter, you see a person who is paying cash for a ticket with no luggage, question the ticket agent and/or report the incident to security.
• you see someone who is bypassing security or you see a security screener let an unauthorized person through security unchecked. Make sure you get a description of the persons involved.
• you see any unusual looking devices with wires or terroristic, anti-American reading material.

Now we have talked about what parents need to look for so now I would like to talk about preparing your children for travel. Take it from a family that enjoys traveling, kids make traveling a little bit more challenging. Along with more bags to deal with, you have their impatience, their curiosity and their failure to pay attention.

Parents need to prepare their children before and during the flight. Security at the airport can be a very stressful and confusing ordeal for a child, so make them feel more comfortable with the process. Here are some tips on how to prepare your child before traveling on a plane:

• Help your children pack their bags and make sure that the items packed are not banned or prohibited. Check the TSA website to ensure items are not on banned list.
• Check to see if the airport you are traveling to has a family help line at the security checkpoint. http://www.tsa.gov/press/happenings/family_lane_expansion.shtm
• Explain that going through security is necessary and that they need to act appropriately and they should not joke around.
• Explain that everybody needs to go through security and make sure that they understand that, if they need to have a bag checked, that they did not do anything wrong. Once at the security checkpoint, remind your children that everybody that wants to go on the airplane and needs to go through security.
• Explain that sometimes people, including mom, dad, and possibly kids are asked to do a secondary search. Prepare your child to let them know that this is okay if this happens. I have an artificial appendage so my children understand the secondary search process and think their dad is the bionic man and security needs to make sure everything is in place.
• Ensure your children know your legal name (not just mom or dad), your address and cell phone number in case you get separated. If they are not able to learn or remember that information, write this information on a small piece of paper and put it in a pocket to ensure they will be able to give the appropriate information if necessary.
•  Make sure you dress your children in clothes without metal so they do not set off the metal detector. Keep any items that have metal in a carry-on bag, so their pockets are empty. (my boy loves to keep matchbox cars in his pockets)
• Make sure you always escort your child into an airport restroom.
• Once at the airport, point out safe places or people for your children to contact if they get separated from you, such as a police officer, airline agent, security officer.

Be safe and happy travels. Next week’s blog will be on researching your destination before you go and how to keep your family safe at a hotel or resort.

http://www.parentdish.com/2010/05/28/taking-the-family-to-a-hot-spot-abroad-stay-safe-by-planning-ah/